Jasmine Milk Tea with Honey Boba

So, are you a boba tea lover?

While insisting that they love tea, I have a few friends who can’t stand boba milk tea. Is it the squishy, chewy texture of those tapioca balls that turn them off? Maybe poor quality tea? Perhaps a bad proportion of tea to milk? Whatever the reason, I’m hoping that this recipe for Jasmine Tea with Honey Boba might turn things around.

This recipe comes straight from The Boba Guys themselves. If you don’t already know of them, they’re a company based out of San Francisco, and one of the best places I’ve come across for a satisfying cup of Taiwanese-style bubble milk tea.

The Boba Guys are purists. Loose-leaf tea, organic milk from grass-fed cows, and perfectly cooked boba are their signatures. No frills here, just keeping it simple.

Although I love their Classic Milk Tea, I thought I’d share a more interesting variation of it for you to enjoy at home. Instead of black tea, this has a Chinese jasmine green tea base, fresh with the scent of jasmine blossoms.

The most interesting thing about this recipe is that the tea is steeped for 8 minutes (yes…8!). Inevitably, this brings out bitter notes in the tea, which are later rounded out by the addition of honey and super rich milk (or half-and-half).

If you’re a fan of boba milk tea and lucky enough to be around one of their stores in Northern California or NYC, definitely stop by. And if you aren’t a boba milk tea lover, but want to stay open-minded, you should also visit. If you’re ever going to be converted, it will happen here!

The tea featured in this post is courtesy of Tea People, the affiliate company of Boba Guys. If you want to enjoy freshly made milk tea, visit Boba Guys in person. To make milk tea at home the right way, visit Tea People online!

Jasmine Milk Tea with Honey Boba

Makes 3-4 drinks.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp jasmine tea (I used Tea People’s Jasmine Green Tea)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup boba

1/4 cup honey

1 cup organic half-and-half or whole milk, from grass-fed cows (I used Straus’ Cream-Top Whole Milk)

ice, for serving

Equipment:

large teapot with strainer

heat proof pitcher

medium pot

slotted spoon

4 serving glasses

fat straws

Directions:

1. Brew the Tea. Steep the tea leaves for 8 minutes with 4 cups water at 170 degrees F. Strain the leaves out and pour the tea into a heat proof pitcher. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Make the Simple Syrup. Combine the sugars with 1 cup of water in a pot. Heat over med-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Cook the Boba. Cook the boba according to package instructions. After the cooking time has elapsed, let the boba continue to sit in the hot water for 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the boba to a bowl, then combine it with the honey and set this aside for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

4. Shake & Serve! When ready to serve, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 cup of tea, 1/4 cup of half-and-half (or Straus’ Cream-Top Whole Milk), and 1/4 cup of simple syrup (or less, to taste). Shake away, then pour into a glass half-filled with ice. Add 2-3 Tbsp of boba to the drink, then place a fat straw in the glass. This is the proportion I use to make 1 drink–repeat this step to make 4 drinks…enjoy!